Back when the size limit was 9" (for me) it was the same story. Catch 50 ... keep 5-10 ... most throwbacks were 8.75" long. Then along comes a couple years where 11-13" fish showed up & it was crazy good, then the size limit got bumped to 10" and we're back to square one.
I remember when most of the Crappie you'd catch at Taylorsville were <8" long and so thin you could practically see thru them. Fast forward a decade or two and they got better, then a decade or so later they got good (but still mostly shorts), then the Slabs showed up & the size limit got bumped. I'm just hoping it don't take another decade for things to improve.

I didn't fish T-ville at all last year, opting to drive the extra 30mins to fish Green.